Children robbed of parents by heartless gunmen

Three children - two little boys and a three-year-old girl - will now have to face life without at least one parent in the wake of yesterday's quadruple murder in Masemure Meadows, Little London, Westmoreland.

The community will also have to endure the pain of losing one of the most skilled furniture-makers and one of its gifted musicians.

Early yesterday morning, four members of one family were murdered in Masemure Meadows. They are 31-year-old Howard Humes, a taxi-operator and hotel musician; his 33-year-old brother, Paulton 'Dwight' Humes, who works on the overseas farm work programme but who is also renowned for his furniture-making skills; 23-year-old construction worker Shavane Humes, known as the community's jester; and fashion-conscious Keneisha Wilson, a 25-year-old hotel housekeeper.

THOSE LEFT BEHIND

Wilson and the elder of the Humes brothers, who were in a common-law relationship, leave behind a five-year-old son, Paulton Humes Jr. The young child witnessed the gruesome murder of his parents but was spared by their killers.

Also left without a dad is 10-year-old Kevon Humes, the only child for his father, Howard. Despite his busy schedule as a taxi operator and musician, Howard is said to have spent quality time with his son.

The little girl, who will now have to face life without her dad, is Kelcie Humes, the only child of Shavane Humes, who, like his two uncles, perished at the hands of gunmen.

For residents, all three men were seen as good persons whose collective skills sets were considered an asset to the rural community, which sits midway between Savanna-la-Mar and Negril.

"We have lost three hard-working men who were all quite progressive," a resident told The Gleaner. "Dwight (Paulton) was the most (skilful) when it comes to making furniture. Howard was a man of music, and Shavane was always making us laugh. As for Keneisha, she was just a sweet girl who was full of ambition."